A question about synthetic vocals

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-- A question about synthetic vocals

Posted by SiK on Feb-25-2006 03:57:

A question about synthetic vocals

Hello everyone - I guess the Music Discussion forum was the wrong place to post this question, so I decided to repost here

This might seem like somewhat of a novice question, but I was wondering how people create natural sounding vocals with synthetic elements.

I've been messing around with a vocoder - one modulator and one carrier channel.
It basically "Plays" the vocals through a pre-made synth, but I just cant get it to sound natural with those synthetic slides.

An example of the sound i was looking for can be found in

"I'm Blue" (da ba dee) - by Eiffel 65 - Ive also heard it in various hip-hop tracks. Is there something im missing? Maybe skills.. hehe

Thanks to anyone who responds- nice to be part of the TA forums

Cheers
~SiK

Posted by chrisspob on Feb-25-2006 04:14:

i might be wrong but it sounds like a low voice pitched down then vocoded and pitched back up, i did a similar voice a while back then realised i was in the 22nd centry

Posted by SiK on Feb-25-2006 04:31:

Ahhh man that thought never occured to me Thanks mate

I was hoping there might be an easy trick I was missing,
but I guess nothing good comes easy

If anyone has alternate strategies on synthetic vocals, or wants to share their technique, please feel free to post em up.

ps. I noticed some vocals are enhanced with a synthetic element to make them sound smoother or maybe not so harsh
(while holding a high note with no vebrato for example) So you dont nessisarily get such a warped effect

Aright, peace and thanks for the idea im gonna go mess with the vocoder

~SiK

Posted by Eldritch on Feb-25-2006 04:50:

quote:
Originally posted by SiK
ps. I noticed some vocals are enhanced with a synthetic element to make them sound smoother or maybe not so harsh
(while holding a high note with no vebrato for example) So you dont nessisarily get such a warped effect

AutoTune does that.
It can probably also be done with a vocoder too.

Posted by SiK on Feb-25-2006 06:53:

Eldritch I did some digging and you hit the nail on the head, man.

Just an example :

Auto- Tune 4 used in tracks like "Days Go By" - Dirty Vegas

props

Posted by thoughtlessjex on Feb-25-2006 07:23:

Yeh, Auto-tuner with the step at half step and slide set to minimum. I don't remember the track, but the technique was first used in some Cher track, as I recal.

Posted by SiK on Feb-25-2006 07:33:

Wow you wont believe this, but i just downloaded it as you posted your message

I think "Believe" was the name - the one where shes like "do you believe in love after love"

thanks for the tip on the settings jex, ill try it out

~SiK

Posted by Liran-A on Feb-25-2006 08:38:

Exmaple:
http://www.youtube.com/w/?v=7NVt7Lk2_GM

Posted by SiK on Feb-25-2006 08:54:

haha classic - good looks on that link

as for the cher song, yea imo i think the high band on the vocals could be turned down just a tad
Spots like 2:04-2:09, but i guess they wanted it to be powerful

~SiK

post script- thanks for all the replies this is good stuff
im out for the night, or rather morning